Wednesday, 2 July 2014

Nereus'
sophomore album 'Exegesis' is a dense juxtaposition of haunting dark
ambience and ultra complex glitchy industrial. The slow and tranquil
soundscapes crash headlong into break neck percussion that somehow
manages to retain its melody and rhythm. Its a tough trick, but one
that is pulled off awfully well.

The opening two tracks 'At
The Centre Of The Throne, Encircled' and 'From His Mouth A Two-Edged
Sword' are perhaps the finest examples of this formula, with each of
them being abrasive and undanceable, but utterly compelling to listen
too. There is a more accessible side to the album which is heard in
the longer but altogether more balanced and tranquil style of
'Trembling Hands Clutch The Veil'. The two styles blend nicely in
'The Key (Lesser)' while 'The Key' returns to the uncompromising
execution of the first two tracks before dropping in some blackened
doom elements in the last third of the track.

'Written In
Blackness Behind The Stars' could almost be the evil twin of
'Trembling Hands...' matching it in length and with a long ambient
intro that erupts into glitchy dissonance once again. 'Made To
Suffer' has a more conventional (if there is such a thing)
glitch/powernoise construction that is less dense and more
rhythmically pleasing to the casual ear. The album then closes with
the epicly named (as if the rest of the tracks weren’t already
enough of a mouthful) pair of tracks 'Thereupon I Saw The Wolves, And
How They Oppressed The Sheep Exceedingly With All Their Power' and
'This Course Of Fire Is The Fire In The West Which Persecutes All The
Luminaries Of Heaven' which synthesize all that is effective on this
album and amplifies into a dark and disturbing finale.

This is
an album that will ultimately divide opinion. It is dense, dark,
ambient, complex and abrasive. Even hardened experimental and avant
garde fans may find this a tough one to swallow. But if you can, it
is an interesting and strangely engrossing listening experience. The
production is surprisingly good and even the most random sounding
elements are carefully and deliberately crafted. You won't be hearing
this in the clubs anytime soon but for fans of truly niche
experimental electronics will need to seek this out.